Coming to us with extensive restaurant experience, Ryan joined the Grand Opening Team at Eataly Toronto the day before we opened our doors to the public. Starting as a Lead Line Cook and growing into a Sous Chef position, Ryan has brought his culinary skills and flair to nearly every counter and restaurant at Eataly Toronto, including La Pizza & La Pasta, Trattoria Milano, Fresh Pasta, Rotisserie, and Pronto. Currently, Ryan is a Sous Chef in Central Kitchen.
Across Eataly Toronto, Ryan is well-known for his culinary skills as well as for his love of reading and learning. With his great sense of humor, he brings smiles to team members and beyond.
What is it like to be a Sous Chef in Eataly’s Central Kitchen?
“The day begins with essentially cooking as many things as humanly possible to get the most amount of production started between the hours of 6 AM to 9 AM. We utilize every single heating element and have every well-planned mise ready to go from 9 AM – 12 PM when more team members arrive. After noon, my focus shifts to ordering. Once ordering is complete, it shifts back to ensuring that everybody’s staying on track for their production, managing all the products we have, and preparing to start at the same speed and volume the next day. Then, the rest of my day is cooling items and putting them away.”
How would you describe Eataly to someone who’s never been?
“I usually describe Eataly as a food destination. It’s somewhere where people go for an experience rather than just to go shopping or just to eat at a restaurant. We are a multifaceted food service destination. We offer pretty much every option you could possibly want from any grocery store outlet while supplying a diversity of restaurant options and quick service options.”
What do you enjoy about working at Eataly?
“One of the best parts about working here is the ability to utilize all the skills I developed through school and previous job experiences. My job here meets my personal preference for being up early in the morning. It allows me to utilize my knowledge of food history to develop dishes. I can apply my knowledge of the Toronto market to determine the types of foods that typically sell and how we can translate that. Also, I’ve been able to identify items that can be balanced together for certain margins, allowing us to do some fancier things while keeping costs in line.”